Dish cart



M y 1969 I R. ZARTARIAN v 3,445,150

. DISH 0. m

Filed Nov. 28, 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR Ruse-2r ZAETAE/AN May 20, 1969 R.,ZARTARIAN 3,445,150

' DISH CART Filed Nov. 28. 1967 v Sheet 2 of 2 3O INVENTOR B08527- ZAzT g H II United States Patent 3,445,150 DISH CART Robert Zartarian, Canton, Mass, assignor to Robert Zartarian, Canton, Mass, and Diran C. Basmajian, Cohasset, Mass.

Filed Nov. 28, 1967, Ser. No. 686,048 Int. Cl. B62b 1/10; A471) 91/06, 81/04 US. Cl. 312-250 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A simplified cart construction for carrying dishes from place to place in an eating facility, having enclosing panels and drain means so that washed dishes may be sterilized and stored therein, to be delivered to the point of use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention provides an improvement on known cart constructions in the disposition of the storage shelves for receiving the dishes, which shelves include drain means which make it possible, if desired, to sterilize the dishes after placement on the storage shelves of the cart. After washing, the dishes need not be dried but may be stored directly in my cart. Suitable heat or other sterilizing means may then be directed to play on the dishes to preferably effect the simultaneous actions of sterilizing them while drying.

In one form of the invention, the storage space may be enclosed to further protect the sterility of the dishes until they are put onto the respective counter spaces for use,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the preferred form of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional end elevation showing the storage compartments fully enclosed; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional end elevation showing the enclosing panels in various positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The cart of my invention is a simplified structure wherein the shelves forming the storage support means for the dishes, simultaneously serves as the chassis for the vehicle. As is seen in FIGURE 1, the main body is supported at each end on suitable rigid frames 11 and 12, which take the form of inverted U shaped elements. The body and frame elements are carried on suitable casters 13 mounted at the ends of the downwardly extending legs of the frame members 11 and 12. The upper closed ends of the U shaped frames extend slightly above the body 10 to provide convenient handle means 14 for manually manipulating the cart.

The body portion 10 is rigidly fixed at each end to the respective frames 11 and 12, the body having end walls 15 and 16 integral therewith, that may be welded to the frames 11 and 12. The body 10 is provided with two oppositely facing generally L shaped shelf means having floors 17 and 18 respectively and rear support walls 19 3,445,150 Patented May 20, 1969 and 20. It will be noted that the floors and walls are each canted with respect to the horizontal and vertical, in a direction to cause the dishes stored in the shelves, to nestle together securely in a stationary position upon being stored in the body of the cart. The floor and wall elements 17, 18, 19 and 20 are substantially planar surfaces formed of a single sheet of metal, the plane surfaces being joined by a smooth curve at their intersection. Their end portions are also smoothly curved and are welded in place between end walls 15 and 16. The construction making use of the floors 17 and 18 and walls 19 and 20, welded to walls 15 and 16, forms in essence, a rigid beam structure. With this structure, the disposition of the canted floors and rear walls disposed integrally between the end walls, produces a structural beam-like unit that is positively braced against twisting in three dimensions whereby in its assembled form, an extremely lightweight but rigid cart results. Thus the overall body structure 10 not only provides the storage space needed for the dishes but also serves as the lightweight rigidifying chassis for the cart. At the lowermost point in the canted welded shelf structure, a plurality of holes 17' and 18' are provided for a purpose that will appear more fully below.

The canted rear walls 19 and 20 are spaced apart somewhat as best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. Since they are canted in opposite directions from the vertical they provide a somewhat triangular shaped space 21 which will be referred to more fully in the description below. The space 21 is provided with a horizontal stiffening wall 22 at about its mid portion, which supports a suitable bumper block such as a rubber pad 23. Wall 22 serves to further rigidity the beam-like structural effect of the chassis.

The floors 17 and 18 are each provided with a downwardly turned front flange 25 and 26 respectively which together with the floors and back walls serve as additional stiffening means for the welded structure. The end walls 15 and 16 are each provided with flanges 27 and 28 that are turned inwardly to face each other from the opposite ends of the body 10. The flanges 27 and 28 extend across the top of the body 10 and down each side of the cart as clearly shown in FIGURE 1. The flanges 25, 26, 27 and 28 define the opening to the storage space for the dishes. The flanges 27 and 28 may overlap flanges 25 and 26 to be welded together to complete the rigid body structure.

A rectangular frame member 30 is provided underneath shelves 17 and 18, that extends the length and width of the cart. The frame 30 is formed by welding L shaped stainless steel structural members together, the frame being welded to the lower ends of the vertical U shaped frames 11 and 12 and being spaced a short distance below the bottom edges of each of flanges 25 and 26. The exposed faces of the frame 30 at each side of the cart may be covered with a non-marking soft bumper means 31.

As best seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, in the preferred form of my cart structure, I provide removable cover means for the open top and side faces of the dish storage space. The side covers 33 and 34 are both shown in the closed position in FIGURE 2. The bottom edge of each side cover has an inwardly curled lip 35, and the upper edge of each cover has a hook shaped lip 36. The hooked edges of the covers 33 and 34 are adapted to engage in co-operating slots 37 and 38 provided in flanges 27 and 28. Referring to FIGURE 2, it is seen that the upper hooked end 36 of cover 33 is engaged in slot 38, the body portion of the cover 33 engaging neatly against flanges 27 and 28, with the lower curled end 35 being positioned just above the upper edge of frame 30. Cover 34 similarly fits snugly over the other open side of the cart.

Suitable removable lid or top elements 41 and 42 are provided for each storage bin of the body structure. As

3 shown in FIGURE 2 the tops have downwardly turned flanged rear edges 43 their front edges extending over the hooked edges 36 of the covers 33 and 34, the lids having downwardly turned flanges 44 integral therewith to provide a convenient handle.

My cart structure is completed by providing conventional non-marking soft bumper means 45 to surround each of the casters 13.

In use, my cart is positioned with the covers removed, adjacent the dish washing machine in a restaurant, for example, to receive the hot dishes directly from the washer. Usually such dishes are sterilized in the washer and are substantially completely dry. In some instances, however, it may be desirable to flow scalding water over the storage space provided for the dishes, or even scald dishes stored in the cart and for this purpose the drain holes 17 and 18' are provided at the bottom rear edges of the floor elements 17 and 18 to permit any condensate or moisture collecting in the storage space, to flow away. As the storage space for dishes is being filled, it will be seen that the dishes slide back on the inwardly and downwardly canted floors 17 and 18 to nestle gently but firmly against rear walls 19 and 20 of the cart. The cover 33 which has been stored under the floors 17 and 18, supported by the inturned flanges of frame 30, is pulled out in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 3, and may be lifted to engage its hooked edge 36 in slots 37 and 38 as shown in FIGURE 2. Then the lid 41 may be lifted from its stored position in triangular space 2-1 to be fitted over flanges 27 and 28 and hooked edge 36 of cover 33, to completely enclose the space containing the stored dishes. Similarly cover 34 and lid 42 may be used to enclose the dishes stored on the other side of the cart as shown in FIGURE 2.

When the cart has been Wheeled to the position where it is to be unloaded, the lids 41 and 42 are first stored away in space 21 where their flanged edges are supported on rubber pad 23. Then the hooked lip 36 of cover 34, for sample, is lifted out of slots 37 and 38 so it can be slipped into the space under the floor 18 to be stored on frame 30. Then cover 33 may be moved to its stored position. It will be seen by reference to FIGURE 3 that cover 33 fits between the floor 17 and already stored cover 34 that is supported on frame 30. After the covers have been stored away the dishes on shelves 17 and 18 are fully exposed so that they may be easily unloaded.

The structure described above provides a most rigid and lightweight stainless steel structure for use in food serving activities. Because of the rounded corners provided in the body, it may be easily sterilized. Drainage means are provided at the lowest points in the body to facilitate the cleaning operation. The canted arrangement of the floors and rear walls which are integrally joined together with the end walls, forms an extremely rigid structure which makes it possible to minimize the weight of metal required in the fabrication of the unit.

I have herein described a cart which may be built to dimensions that make it easy to wheel about a food serving facility and when loaded with conventional sized dishes, may be designed to store as many as 1,200 fiveinch-plates or about 300 ten-inch-plates.

I claim:

1. A cart for storing and transporting dishes at an eating facility comprising longitudinally extending generally L shaped shelf means for receivin the washed dishes to be stored, integral end walls at the opposites ends of the shelf means, said shelf means being canted with respect to the horizontal and vertical in a direction such that the stored dishes nestle in the shelf means under the influence of gravity, and frame means integral with each of said end walls, said frame means having wheeled casters for supporting the cart and handle means for guiding the cart.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the shelf means includes two generally L shaped shelf elements disposed back to back.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein cover means are provided for the open sides of the L shaped shelf means.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the back to back elements are spaced apart somewhat, and cover means are provided for the open sides of the L shaped shelf means, certain of said cover means being adapted to be stored between said spaced apart elements when the cart is being loaded or unloaded.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein the L shaped canted shelf elements are provided with drain openings at the lowest point of the shelf means.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein said end walls have integral flanges, said flanges defining the open sides of the shelf elements, cover means for substantially sealing the open sides of the shelf elements, said cover means being shaped to engage and be supported by said flanges.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said covers include members that extend in a generally vertical direction at the sides of the cart and generally horizontally disposed members to form covers over the top of the cart, said vertically disposed members having hook means formed integral along their upper edges, and said flanges being slotted to receive the hook means to support said generally vertically extending cover members.

8. The structure of claim 4 wherein a space is provided between the bottom of the shelf means and the casters having a frame element therein for storing the remaining cover means.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein the parts are all made of stainless steel and the corners between intersecting shelf and wall members are rounded for ease of cleaning.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,971,807 2/1961 La Vigne 312-287 2,994,573 8/1961 Wright et a1 312-287 X 3,208,808 9/1965 Knapp 312-290 X 3,262,714 7/1966 Langone 312-290 3,368,857 2/1968 Harding 312-250 CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

